The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-11-25

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bargains an swellin' my bank accoun,
. few dollars each week. always wa.
of a thrifty turn, an it came easy t.
lay by somethin'. SO do not speak Of
it to make credit, only as a fact.
thought lots about the washin' day an
wondered what the two women he'd
said when the young torment he'd told
his ma. 1 always smiled when
thought on it, because Twas pretty sure
the mistress didn't get the best OF it in
words anyhow. An somehow. be-
tween you and me. mistrcsses could
have a deal o plain speakin' done to
'em without havin' more'n their
share.
But one afternoon 1 drove into a
farmyard an come near runnin'
smash into another tin peddler es-
Enlistment that had got there ahead
of me. With due respect fer the fell
ler's rights. l was preparin' to turn
around an git out, when l heard a
voice that somehow seemed familiar:
you're swindlcr." it was sayin'
IAN you know it! The bottom of that
kittle is just the poorest kind o stuff,
an the nose has come off an been
fastened on again. 1 don't want to
trade with you, an l won't. SO you
may as well go!"
sits my little washtub beauty"
says to myself, wonderful glad, an
so it was. She followed the man, a
meachin'. cross-eyed chap. to the door,
an l could see she was almost as
angry as she was on the first mornin'
I'd seen her. She wasn't SO pretty
this time either. for she he'd towel
around her head, an a faded-out calico
dress. an boots that was out at the
toes; but somehow my heart gave a
thump an l was down off'n my wag-
gin in No time.
'.May be 1 kin make trade with
you." l says, more jerkY than l ever
spoke before.
swell. may be you cau," she says.
eycin' me. l knew she was trying to
place me, but couldn't. wanted to
help her, but somehow couldn't find
the words. could only bring out my
best kittles and knock off half the
regular price. on tho ground that
wanted to dispose of 'em quick. SOS to
lay in a new an improved stock.
Twas longin' to know if this was her
home. but couldn't think O. no way to
find out without askin' in SO many
words, an that 1 hadn't the courage to
do.
She handled the things carefully. but
all of sudden. when thought she was
examinin' the nose of my biggess tea
kettle. she spoke up quick and sharp.
Il know where I've seen you," she
said, ut was when l doused that
Charley Cranl May be you don't
remember. sine. .,ou didn't lose your
temper an place; but losin' your place
makes you remember"
Somehow them words made me light.
headed; she'd remembered me!
81 recOllect." said l. fast as ever
could for the fit that seized my tongue,
IAN wanted to shake hands with you.
He deserved all you gave, the varmintr
She smiled a little, and sighed, too.
alt lost me my place, of course. "
she went on. takin' up n bread-pan an
turnin' it over. lain he'd the heart to
look up another one yet, SO here lam
at home. a-scoldin' one peddler an
tellin' my affairs to another. You must
have pretty poor opinion of me. an
no wonder"
She endel with little laugh, an
said she guessed they'd take the bread
pan an the smaller kettle.
'Do you calkerlate to stay round
home all summer" l asked. hating
myself because my face was gettin' red
as fire.
She answered back quite fierce:
Il shall stay till learn to manage
my temper better in tryin' times. which,
accordin' to present appearances, Wont
be any too soon."
l said some peddlers was enough to
try the patience of saint, an Their
grew redder'n ever, because l was
afraid she'd think meant was above
all SIGH, an an exception to 'em. But
she didn't seem to take it that way.
She laughed. an said there was ped
dlcrs an peddlers.
Then we settled for the things, an
there bein' no excuse for my stayin'
longer. l went.
said to myself good many time:
that day: She's got red hair, an She:
got a temper" but it didn't keep hel
out o my head mite, nor hinder me
from gettin' round to that farmhouse
again in a week. This time We didn'I
make no trade. but we he'd few word:
O nonsense over, an we noticed the
hearty way things were CROWN.
1t was near twilight, an when
went away 1 had feelin' as if II
tucked bit o peacefulness down ir
my heart to make me glad and thank
full in the dust and flies o the road.
1t needed it putty often that summer
for it grew to be dreadful dry season
and the travelin' was vile. / he'd to e
to that farmhouse a good many times
1t was no use tryin' to keep away. fol
the thought O. them bright eyes drew
me there sure as honey draws bees.
Imade excuses an made excuses t.
myself till most forgot Twas a Meth
odist in good an regular standin'
Then l drew myself up short.
ats no use, James Grimer' / said
you've lost somethin'. an you won
find it unless you fiud it in them brown